Cotton picking spindle and slat assembly



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Oct. 16, 1956 A. L.. HUBBARD 2,766,574

' coTToN PICKING sPNDLE AND sLATV ASSEMBLY Filed April 5, 1955 2 Smets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. A. L. HUBBARD Oct. 16, 1956 A. H'UBBARD 2,766,574

COTTON PICKING SPINDLE AND sLAT ASSEMBLY Filed April 5{ 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 losa 1l-"C:

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no lle 32 24 5or 7/212 as 72 I4 1 /\7 I Y 2o 92 j Bef INVENTOR. LU I r A. HUBBARD 94 44@ 22 24 ne u2 United States Patent O CGTTON PICKING SPINDLE AND SLAT ASSEMBLY Arthur L. Hubbard, Madrid, Iowa, assgnor to Deere Manufacturing Co., Dubuque, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application April 5, 1955, Serial No. 499,436

13 Claims. (Cl. 56-44) This invention relates to a picker bar for a mechanical cotton picker.

A typical cotton picker of the general character referred to, representative patented disclosures of which appear in U. S. patents to Paradise 2,660,852 and Swim 2,669,080, will include one or more picking drums, each of which comprises a plurality of upright picker bars or columns carried by the drum for orbital movement about an upright axis. Each column carries internally thereof a vertical driving shaft which is intergeared with a plurality of vertically spaced, substantially horizontally eX- tending picker spindles. As the drum rotates, orbital movement is given to the columns by means of a cam having a track therein which is followed by cranks secured respectively to the upper ends of the picker bars. In this fashion, the picker bars are oscillated and the spindles rotate respectively about their own axes. Because of the relatively complicated nature of the construction, servicing of the picker bars is quite a problem. Normally this will involve the removal of a picker bar in its entirety, because wear in the spindle driving mechanisms and bearings will be substantially uniform and if replacement is required it is more practicable to replace the entire assembly than to replace individual spindles. Heretofore, the removal of each picker bar has been a somewhat difficult task, because the picker bar must be released not only from its supporting bearings but also from the guiding cam track. According to the present invention, this servicing problem is eliminated by the provision of an improved and novel picker bar construction comprising a column having an open front from which the spindle assemblies may be removed in a group, thereby obviating the necessity of removing the picker bar from its supporting bearings. A further feature of the invention resides in the block structure in which the individual spindles are mounted. in one form of the invention, the block structure is made up of a one-piece secondary support and in another form of the invention the block structure comprises a plurality of individual blocks arranged in stacked fashion. The spindles are normally carried in the block structure, in either form of the invention, so as to remain with the block structure, whereby upon removal of the block structure the spindles remain with the block structure and are separated from the driving connections with the upright driving shaft. This eliminates the threading and unthreading of the spindles in to the support as is typical of prior art designs. Therefore, engagement of the spindle-driven elements with the driving elements on the shaft is more readily adjusted and the proper drive connections can be made.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent as two preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in detail in the following specification and accompanying sheets of drawings, the several figures of which will be described immediately below.

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in sectionand with. parts 2,766,574 Patented Oct. 16, 1956 broken away, illustrating a representative picker bar as mounted in upper and lower drum supports and as including a controlling crank that follows the cam guide.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view as seen along the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective exploded view, on a reduced scale, illustrating the assembly and disassembly of the picker bar and block structure.

Fig. 4 is a section, on an enlarged scale, as seen along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 yis a view, drawn to the scale of Figs. 2 and 4, as seen along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of structure.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating the structure of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a further modification of the structure.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the As is more fully illustrated in the above-noted Paradise and Swim patents, a cotton picker drum has upper and lower supporting portions in the form of a drum head and a bottom plate, a portion of the former being shown here at 10 and a portion of the latter being illustrated at 12. The head and plate i2 carry therebetween a plurality of picker bars, only one of which is shown here as comprising an elongated hollow support or column 14. his column has top and bottom ends 16 and 18, respectively, and is of channel or U-shaped section (best shown in Fig. 4), the bight portion of the U affording a closed upright rear wall 29 and the legs of the U respectively affording upright parallel side walls 22. The wrap-around nature of the construction is accomplished by the use of fairly heavy gauge plate stock formed as illustrated. The expressions front, rear, top and bottom are used here as well as in the claims as words of convenience and not of limitation.

The bight portion or rear wall 20 of the column is of arcuate section less than a full circle but greater than a semlcircle, for purposes to presently appear, and the forward or generally radial extent of the side walls 22 is Each side wall 22 has line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

a free upright front edge 24, a substantially horizontal top edge 26 and a substantially horizontal bottom edge 28.

Top and bottom trunnions 30 and 32 are secured respectively to the top and bottom ends of the column la, the trunnions forming in effect coaxial extensions of the bight portion 20 of the column. Securing of the trunnions to the ends of the column is preferably accomplished by welding, as indicated at 34 and 36, respectively. The diameter of each trunnion is substantially on the order of the transverse dimension or twice the radius of the bight portion or rear wall 20 of the column. Therefore, the top and bottom edges of the side walls project forwardly or are exposed. A top closure member 38 lprojects forwardly from the front arcuate portion of the top trunnion 3G and is secured along the top edges 26 of the side walls 22, welding again being the preferred form of securement. The closure member is in the form of a plate having an arcuate rear portion 40 to accommodate the front arcuate portion of the trunnion 30 and may be additionally welded to the trunnion as suggested at 4Z. The plate or closure member has a free transverse front edge 44`preferably coterminous with the front edges 24 of the side walls 22.

A substantially similar closure member or plate 46 projects yforwardly from the trunnion 32, being welded to the sidewall bottom edges 28 and to the trunnion 32 in a manner similar to that described for the topV plate or clo sure member. The lower member has a free front edge 48, coterminous with the edges 24 and 44. All of these edges combine or are cooperative to establish or deiine an upright, elongated rectangular opening or slot 50, which leads to the hollow interior of the column 14.

The bottom trunnion 32 is journaled on a vertical pintle 52 that rises from the bottom drum plate 12. The upper trunnion Sil provides a journal coaxial with the pintle 52, this journal being effected by receipt of the trunnion in an upright bore 54 in the drum head'lt). The 4trunnion 30 projects upwardly past the drum head 1d and has an integral upper portion 56 to which is connected a not unconventional crank 58. The crank has a follower 60 which runs in a cam track 62 of a typical cam control plate 64, these details being shown and described only generally because of their conventional nature as disclosed in the above-noted Paradise patent. Because of the mounting just described, the column 14 is capable of angular movement about the upright axis established by the pintle 52 and journaling of the trunnion 30 at 54 in the drum head 10.

Retention of the crank S8 on the upper portion S6 of the trunnion 30 may be accomplished Aas by a set screw 66. A typical drum head, of which the present drum head is representative, will include a removable cap 68, the split relative to the drum head proper being indicated by the dotted line 76 (Fig. l). Hence, it will be seen that the column 14 as a whole may be removed from the drum by separating the trunnion 3i) from the drum head 10, the crank 53 from the trunnion 3() and the column from the pintle 52. On the basis of experience with prior art structures, this manner of disassembly is by no means an easy one, since the relationship of the individual picker bars to the drum is fairly complicated and in the interests of etricient operation this relationship should be disturbed as little as possible. Moreover, disassembly in the manner just described would require separation of column-contained driving mechanism from drum-carried driving mechanism. The column-contained driving mechanism is shown here as including an upright driving shaft 72 which is housed in a shaft-receiving space 74 aiforded by the arcuate shape of the bight portion or rear wall of the column 14. The upper end of the shaft 72 projects upwardly beyond the top portion 56 of the trunnion and has keyed thereto a pinion 76 which is in constant mesh with a drum-carried drive gear, a portion of which is shown at '78, the drive relationship to this extent being similar to that shown in the Paradise patent. An internal anti-friction bearing 80 journals theupper end of the shaft 72 in the upper portion 56 of the trunnion 30.

The shaft 72 has pinned thereto in axially spaced relation a plurality of driving elements in the form of bevel pinions 82 and additional journaling of the shaft is accomplished by additional bearings carried in the bight portion of the column and journaling the shaft 72 via the hubs of certain of the bevel pinions 82. One such additional bearing is shown at 84 as comprising a needle bearing journaling the hub 86 of the next to the uppermost bevel pinion 82. It will be understood that `other bearings, like the bearing 84, can be used throughout the structure Where desired. Because of the arcuate shape of the bight portion or rear wall 20 of the column 14, previousiy described as being less than a full circle but greater than a semicircle, adequate support for the bearing 84 is afforded.

The interior of the column 14 provides a lubricant reser'. Voir to which lubricant is supplied through an open passage 88 in the trunnion 30, the purpose of the lubricant being to lubricate the bearings 80 and 84 as Well as the bevel pinions 32 in their drive connections to driven elements or other bevel pinions 90 on the inner ends, respectively, of a plurality of picker spindles 92, these spindles being journaled respectively on'substantially horizon-- tal axes in block structure designated in its entirety by the numeral 9.4.

In this form of the invention, the block structure 94 comprises a plurality of separate blocks 96, each carrying a pair of spindles 92, and the assembly being one in which the blocks 96 are in stacked fashion, each block 96, except the lowermost block, resting on the block below it. Each block has an upper surface 9S and a lower or undersurface 160. When the blocks are assembled as shown in Fig. l, the undersurfaces of the blocks rest respectiveiy on the top surfaces 9S of the respective lower blocks, with the exception, of course, of the lowermost of the blocks. The verticai height ci the stacked block structure 94 is such that the top plate 3S forms a closure with the top surface 93 of the uppermost block. he same is truc as to the cooperation between the lower closure member or plate 46 and the undersurtace 1%@ of the lowermost block 96. This relationship seals the column against the escape of lubricant.

Each spindle 92 is carried in its associated block by rneans of appropriate bearings 192, 102' carried in a block pore 164. Each block has a front face 166 exposed at the front of the column (forwardly ahead of the front edges 2,4 of the side walls V22) and further has a rear face 16S spaced ahead of the column rear wall 29 to atiord the shaft-receiving space 7 4. The nature of the mounting of each spindle 92 in the spindle-receiving bore 164 is such that the spindle is normally constrained against axial separation `from its block. Hence, upon removal of the in dividual blocks, the pair of spindles carried thereby will remain with the block. The separable drive connection established between the associated bevel pinions S2 and 9i) permits this separation. Likewise, installation of the block in a rearward direction will resuit in reengagement of the associated bevel pinions. The blocks, either individually or as a group, are or' course receivable in the column via the iront opening or sint Sti. Conversely, the blocks are forwardly removable from the column via the same slot or opening.

Mounting of the blocks in the column is accomplished by releasable means, here comprising a plurality of rcleasable fasteners or elements such as bolts 116 having nuts 112. Each block 96 has a transverse bore 114 which registers with slots or apertures 116 in the side walls 22 of the column. A bolt 110 is passed through a pair of the slots 116 and the registering bore 114. Because of the fore-and-aft elongation of the slots 116, the concerned block 96 may be adjusted fore and aft to secure the proper drive connection or mesh between the bevel pinions 82 and 90, after which the nut 112 may be tightened. This is true of course 'as to all of the blocks 96. Thus, the spindle-mounting means afforded by the block structure 94, here comprising the several separate blocks 96, may be removed from the support comprised by the column 14 without disturbing the relationship between the column and the drum and further without disturbing the relationship between the drive gearing 76--78.

A feature of the separate block arrangement as shown in Figs. l through 5 is the cooperative relationship between the surfaces 98 and 100. The surfaces 100 slide respectively on the surfaces 98 and, these surfaces being Hat, cocking of the blocks 96 is prevented. This enables the use of a single fastener for each block, thus simplifying and cutting the cost of the design.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, `the column structure, trunnion mounting and internal driving mechanism are the same as that described above. However, here the block structure, designated at 94a, comprises a one-piece assembly in which the spindles 92 are mounted respectively in spindle-receiving bores 104a. The block structure 94a has a single top surface 98a and a single bottom surface 10011, these surfaces cooperating respectively with the top and bottom closure members 38 and 46 to establish the lubricant reservoir within the column. Front and rear faces 106e and 108a bear the ing surfaces in Figs. 1 through 5. Apart from the onepiece nature of the block structure 94a, all other structural and functional attributes are the same as those in Figs. l through 5, it being noted that the bolts 110 and nuts 112 are used to support and retain the block structure 94a Via bolt-receiving bores 11451 in that block structure.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a column lb has an arcuate rear wall Zibb and integral forwardly extending legs 22h. A comparison of Figs. 9 and 4 will show that the wall 20h is substantially semicircular before it joins the walls 22h. However, in this case, the semicircular extent of the wall 2Gb is inadequate to support the bearing 84 on the shaft 72. Additional support for the bearing is afforded by a modified form of block structure 16815, which has a rear arcuate portion Iii? that engages the front arcuate portion of the bearing S4. Whether the block structure is built up in sections as shown in Fig. l or is a single unit as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is of no importance at the moment other than to understand that either type of block structure would be satisfactory in this modification. Thus the bearing 84 is supported in part by the column wall 2011 and in part by the rear end of the block 108b. An oil groove ill in the rear portion of the block facilitates the flow of lubricant from top to bottom of the column structure.

Other than the details noted, the structure is the same as previously described, the modified form of block structure ltiSb carrying spindles 92 and being secured to the legs 22h by means of a bolt 1li) and nut 112. The block itlib has a bore 114b to receive the bolt 11@ and the legs 22h are slotted at Hob to accommodate misalinement and manufacturing errors. The column l4b is shown as having an open front Stib for receiving the block structure 98h One of the advantages of this modification is that the shape of the bight portion 20h need not be held to such close tolerances, since the block 98h contributes to the support of the bearing 84. Moreover, the mounting f the bearing in this form of the invention is somewhat more secure than those described. Of further importance is the indexing of the block structure by engagement between the arcuate portion N9 and the bearing 84, which indexing determines the proper mesh of the associated bevel gears 82 and 91B. The block structure 10817 is provided with an appropriate number of spindle-receiving bores with, by means of which the spindle bearings 102 are received to support the spindles 92, respectively.

The major features of the invention have been outlined above. Others have been covered in the foregoing specitication. Still others Will occur to those versed in the art, as will Various modiiications and alterations in the preferred form of the invention illustrated, all of which may be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,

What is claimed is:

l. A picker bar, comprising: an elongated column of U-shaped section and having top and bottom open ends, the bight portion of the U affording an upright rear wall and the legs of the U respectively affording upright, forwardly projecting side walls, each side wall having an upright front edge and substantially horizontal top and bottom edges; top and bottom trunnions secured respectively to the top and bottom ends of the column as coaxial extensions of the bight portion thereof, leaving the top and bottom edges exposed forwardly of the respective trunnions; top and bottom closure members projecting forwardly from the respective trunnions and secured respectively along saidtop and bottom edges, said members respectively having free front edges cooperative with the side wall front edges to define an elongated front opening in the column; an upright drive shaft journaled in the column and contained substantially coaxially in the bight portion thereof, said shaft having thereon axially spaced apart driving elements; elongated upright block structure rearwardly receivable in and normally supported by the column and forwardly removable from the column via the front opening for disassembly, said structure having a rear face proximate to but spaced forwardly from the drive shaft when received in the column and further having a front face exposed at the front of the column, said structure having therein a plurality of substantially horizontal spindle bores equal in number to and vertically spaced apart on the order of the driving elements on the shaft, each bore opening at opposite ends respectively at the front and rear faces of the block structure; a plurality of picker spindles journaled in the block structure, one in each bore and normally constrained against axial separation from said structure, each spindle having a rear end including a driven element rearwardly engageable with and forwardly disengageable from a respective driving element; and releasable means securing the block structure to the column.

2. The invention dened in claim l, in which: the block structure is made up of a plurality of separate blocks, each block containing fewer than the total number of spindles and the blocks being arranged in vertically stacked fashion.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, in which: each block has substantially at upper and lower surfaces and each block except the lowermost block has its lower surface resting on the upper surface of the next lower block.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the releasable means securing the block structure to the co1- umn comprises a plurality of releasable elements, one for each block and enabling individual removal of a selected block.

5. The invention deiined in claim 4, in which: each releasable element includes provision for fore-and-aft independent adjustment of the respective block relative to the column and the other blocks to vary the driving engagement between the associated driving and driven elements.

6. The invention defined in claim l, in which: the releasable means includes provision for fore-and-aft adjustment of the block structure relative to the column to vary the driving engagement between the driving and driven elements.

7. The invention defined in claim l, in which: the block structure has a plurality of fastener-receiving bores transverse to and interspaced with certain of the spindle bores; the side walls have apertures respectively in register with the fastener-receiving bores when the block structure is received in the column; and the releasable means includes a plurality of fasteners passed respectively through the registered apertures and bores.

8. A picker bar, comprising: an elongated column of U-shaped section and having top and bottom ends, the bight portion of the U affording an upright rear wall and the legs of the U respectively affording upright, forwardly projecting side walls, each side wall. having an upright front edge and said front edges being spaced apart to afford an elongated upright front slot leading to the interior of the column; top and bottom trunnions secured respectively to the top and bottom ends of the column as coaxial extensions thereof; an upright drive shaft journaled in the column and contained substantially coaxially in the bight potrion thereof, said shaft having thereon axially spaced apart driving elements; elongated upright block structure rearwardly receivable in and normally supported by the column and forwardly removable from the column via the front slot for disassembly, said structure having a rear face proximate to but spaced forwardly from the drive shaft when received in the column and further having a front face exposed at the front of the column, said structure having therein a plurality of substantially horizontal spindle bores equal in number to and vertically spaced apart on the order of the driving elements on the shaft, each bore opening at opposite ends respectively at the front and rear faces of the block structure; a plurality ot picker spindles journaled in the block structure, one in each bore and normally constrained against axial separation from said structure, each spindle having a rear end including a driven element rearwardly engageable with and forwardly disengageabie from a respective driving element; and releasable means securing the block structure to the column.

9. A picker bar, comprising: an elongated column of U-shaped section and having top and bottom open ends; the bight portion of the U affording an upright rear wall and the legs of the U respectively affording upright, forwardly projecting side walls, each side wall having an upright front edge and substantially horizontal top and bottom edges; top and bottom closure members secured respectively along said top and bottom edges and respectively having free front edges cooperative with the side wall front edges to define an elongated iront opening in the column; an upright drive shaft ,iournaled in thc column and contained substantially coaxially in the bight portion thereof, said shaft having thereon axially spaced apart driving elements; elongated upright block structure rearwardly receivable in and normally supported by the column and forwardly removable from the column via the front opening for disassembly, said structure having a rear face proximate to but spaced forwardly from the drive shaft when received in the column and further having a front face exposed at the front of the column, said structure having therein a plurality of substantially horizontal spindle bores equal in number to and vertically spaced apart on the order Vof the driving elements on the shaft, each bore opening at opposite ends respectively at the front and rear faces of the block structure; a plurality of picker spindles journaled in the block structure, one in each bore and normally constrained against axial separation from said structure, each spindle having a rear end including a driven element rearwardly engageable with and forwardly disengageable from a respective driving element; and releasable means securing the block structure to the column.

l0. The invention dened in claim 8, in which: the drive shaft is journaled in the column by means of coaxial circular bearings supported by the column independently of the block structure; and the cross-sectional shape of the bight portion of the column is less than a full circle so as to enable engagement and disengagement between the driving and driven elements but is greater than a semicircle so as to embrace and support the bearings.

l1. The invention dened in claim 8, in which: the drive shaft is supported in the column by means of a circular bearing supported in part by the column, the cross-sectional shape of the bight portion of the column being arcuate and in radial register with the bearing and engaging a portion of the bearing; and the rear face of the block structure has an arcuate portion in radial register with the bearing and engaging a portion of the bearing substantially diametrically opposite the bearing portion engaged by the bight portion of the column.

12. The invention dened in claim 1l, in which: engagement of the arcuate portion of the block structure with the bearing determines proper engagement between the respective driving and driven elements.

13. A picker bar, comprising: an upright hollow support having a front side formed with a continuous upright opening; driving mechanism interiorly of the support and exposed through said opening; upright spindlemounting means closing the opening comprising a plurality of separate spindle-mounting elements arranged in vertically stacked relationship, each element having upper and lower guide surfaces, and each element except the lowermost element having its lower surface resting on the upper surface of the next lower element to be carried by said next lower element for movement selectively toward and away from the driving mechanism, said elements having a plurality of vertically spaced, substantially horizontal bores therethrough leading to the interior of the support; a plurality of picker spindles carried by and normally constrained to remain with the elements, one spindle in each bore and each spindle having a driveable inner end separately associated with and driven by the driving mechanism; and means individually and removably securing each of the elements to the support.

891.444 Scherling Iune 23, 1908 Bullock Jan. 2s, 190sV 

